Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/42

32 Horace, are fitter to be paraphraſed, than tranſlated.

The Tenth Book of Lucan, was tranſlated by Mr. Hughes, long before Mr. Rowe undertook that author. The occaſion of it was this: Mr. Tonſon the bookſeller, ſollicited a tranſlation of Lucan, by ſeveral hands. Mr. Hughes performed his part, but others failing in their promiſes, the deſign was dropp’d; and Mr. Rowe was afterwards prevailed upon to undertake the whole, which he performed with great ſucceſs.

In the year 1709 Mr. Hughes obliged the publick, with an elegant tranſlation of Moliere’s celebrated Comedy, the Miſantrope. This has been ſince reprinted, with the other plays of that admirable author, tranſlated by Mr. Ozell; but care is taken to diſtinguiſh this particular play.

In the year 1712 his Opera of Calypſo and Telemachus, was performed at the Queen’s Theatre in the Hay-Market. Perhaps it may be worth while to mention here, one circumſtance concerning this Opera, as it relates to the Hiſtory of Muſic in England, and diſcovers the great partiality ſhewn at that time to Operas performed in Italian. After many ſuch had been encouraged by large ſubſcriptions, this, originally written, and ſet in Engliſh, after the Italian manner, was prepared with the uſual expence of ſcenes and decorations; and being much crowded and applauded at the rehearſals, a ſubſcription was obtained for it as uſual.

This alarmed the whole Italian band, who, apprehending that their profeſſion would ſuffer thereby, procured an order from the duke of Shrewſbury, then lord chamberlain, the day before the performing of this Opera, to take off the ſubſcription for it, and to open the houſe at the loweſt prices, or not at all. This was deſigned to ſink it, but failed of its end. It was ,